BIBLICAL REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD WORSHIP GOD AS A FAMILY

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THE BIBLE COMMANDS ITThe head of a family is addressed in Deuteronomy 6:7-8 and Deuteronomy 11:18-19 about his duties to the family. He must speak frequently about God’s Word, diligently teach it and urge it on his family. It is to be writ-ten on the doorposts of his house, figuratively speaking. This means that religion must be in the family and in all that enter into the house.

The Passover involved family worship as well as private and public worship. All members of that family (or both families if small) were required to be present and participate.

The fourth commandment (Exodus 20:8-11) requires family worship distinct from public and individual secret worship. It requires the worship of God amongst those that are related to each other, which is not required of others in the same way. It includes all relationships within the home. Parents, children, sons and daughters are mentioned. Even guests are included.

This commandment requires worship on the Lord’s Day from family members in reference to their family.Thus, it requires distinct family worship since they must keep the day holy in a joint capacity. It means closer communion amongst the members of a family than with individuals and families to whom they are not related in the same way.

THE BIBLE COMMENDS ITEminently godly men such as Abraham, Joshua and Job were conscientious in honouring God in their families. This was a special aspect of their eminent godliness. Abraham managed his children and servants in relation to the worship of God as well as in his own affairs (Genesis 18:19). There are many examples of him engaging in family worship (Genesis 12:8; Genesis 26:25 and 35:1-3).

Job’s example (Job 1:5) shows: (a) Offering sacrifices in his family as well as for his family. (b) Seeking to make those absent ready to join with him and those at home in this service to God. He “sent and sanctified them”. This would not have been necessary if they were present with him. (c) When he cannot do this personally he does it through someone else in order that they may all worship God in some way together.

David engaged in family worship. n 2 Samuel 6:20 after public worship had finished he went home to bless his house - a similar activity. It must have been worship in his house relevant to his family responsibilities. He had blessed the people as king and prophet (v18) now he blesses his family as their head. It must have been a joint activity. If it only involved himself he did not need to go home. This shows that he engaged in family worship in line with his resolution in Psalm 101:2 to walk within his house with a perfect heart.

What is family worship? It is where the whole family as a family worship God together. This is all too often neglected or not

practised. Many are ready to argue that this type of devotion is neither necessary nor required. They assume that it can be

safely overlooked because they think it is not explicitly commanded by God. They do not believe that it is essential.

This leaflet shows that God does in fact command this duty. Because of this, we cannot persistently neglect it without sinning.

There is great benefit in observing family worship but great harm in neglecting it. These reasons have been extracted and

updated from writings on the subject by James Durham and John Brown of Wamphray. They were both leading preachers

and writers during the time of the Second Reformation in Scotland.

www.reformationscotland.org

Two booklets are available which explain further the benefits of Family Worship and how to engage in it and other aspects of family religion. The Suburbs of Heaven: family worship and its unique blessings and Family Worship are available from our website or your local bookshop.

www.reformationscotland.org

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THE BIBLE ASSUMES ITWhen the New Testament urges family duties it also assumes that family prayer takes place. 1 Peter 3:7 speaks of mutual prayers in connection with mutual duties. It means prayers together, family prayer, not as individ-uals apart. Paul also emphasises this in 1 Corinthians 7:5 which assumes joint prayer in the context of mutual duties.

Israelites were to dedicate or consecrate their houses after they were built (Deuteronomy 20:5). This dedi-cation must have been with some special worship and request for God’s blessing. Psalm 30 (see title) is an example of such a prayer. Their houses were offered to the Lord for seeking and worshipping Him just as altars (Numbers 7:84) and walls (Nehemiah 12:27). They were to devote their families to God and consecrate them for His service. The whole family together ought to offer themselves to God and to His service. Did they begin with prayer or praise (like David) but afterwards abandon family worship? We can see from 2 Samuel 6:20 that David continued this practice in that he went home and blessed his house.

In the New Testament (Acts 10:2) we read of Cornelius who feared God with all his house prayed always. This must have included praying together with his house. Their prayer was heard and fully answered (Acts 10:4-5).

THE BIBLE THREATENS ITS NEGLECTThe families that do not call on God’s name are threatened in Jeremiah 10:25. It is clear from this that: (a) call-ing on God’s name means God’s worship in general and prayer in particular (as a special part of that). (b) These families are larger or smaller societies and companies that do not practice this worship and so are under the curse. It does not matter if we believe the verse mainly refers to nations. Nations are made up of families and there is a relationship between whether or not families engage in worship and the conduct of the whole land. God does not only require public worship from nations but also family worship from particular families as part of them.

THE BIBLE MAKES IT EVIDENCE OF A SINCERE PROFESSIONWe see this in the New Testament as well as in the examples of Abraham, Joshua and Job (Genesis 18:19; Josh-ua 24:15). It is a special qualification for public office and neglecting it is a scandal and offence. Who is quali-fied to be an elder or deacon? Those who rule their own houses well (1 Timothy 3:4; Titus 1:6). Even widows (1 Timothy 5:10) are to be assessed by whether they have brought up children. No doubt this means in a Christian and religious way (which can hardly be done at all without worshipping God with them).

Unless they rule their own house well they are unfit to rule in God’s house (1 Timothy 3:5). In these verses it is clear that ruling their own house well does not just mean in outward and temporal things. It also (if not mainly) relates to what concerns the honour, service and worship of God. Merely ruling in outward things is no evidence of grace. Many men who are not professing Christians can do this and may be wiser in it.

“Having children in subjection in all gravity” indicates Christian and religious rule and order for a religious purpose in the family. This must include family worship. The issue is not if he can rule his own house well (i.e. has gifts fitting him for it) but (assuming he does have these) whether he does actually rule it well. This is the evidence of making best use of his gifts. Ruling in a man’s own house and ruling in the Church or House of God are two aspects of the same thing. Both include not only gifts that equip him to rule but conscientious faith-fulness in making best use of them.

THE BIBLE MAKES IT THE FRUIT OF GRACEZechariah 12:12 is a prophecy of how believers will conduct themselves in New Testament times. It shows (a) public mourning by the whole nation; (b) various families mourning together; (c) families mourning apart; and (d) wives mourning apart (i.e. each individual person in private). From this it is clear that: (i) family worship is practised as well as public and secret worship; and (ii) family worship includes the same duties as secret worship except that family members engage in them jointly. Thus, family worship means worshipping God by members of a home and family together (besides what takes place in public and secret). It accompanies true repentance.

3 THE BIBLE ATTACHES BLESSINGS TO ITFamily worship brings blessings on those who practise it conscientiously according to God’s promises (Gene-sis 18:19; Deuteronomy 11:18-21). When Jacob purified his family and built an altar to the Lord at Luz or Bethel God appeared to him and blessed him. He gave him the name Israel and renewed the promises made to Abra-ham and Isaac (Genesis 35:10-12).